Portable and adjustable head and neck rest

ABSTRACT

A portable and adjustable head and neck rest device supporting the side of the neck and head While mounted on a vehicle or automobile sears head rest. It uses a cylindrical support bar and cushion to support the side of the neck and head. The supports are made adjustable by the pivoting motion of the cylindrical support bar about a pivoting pin and about a threaded rod. The device is securely fastened to the existing pillars of a sears head rest with the use of a threaded ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped damp. Installation and removal of the device from an automobile seat head rest requires no external tool.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention is a portable support mechanism for the side of the headand neck of vehicle seat occupant, capable of adjusting to variousheights of the occupants.

BACKGROUND ART

There are various head and neck rest currently used for vehicle seatoccupants that supplement the existing seat and headrest unit of anautomobile. Some are in a form of pillows semi-wrapped around the neck.Others have supports on both sides of the head and fastened to thevehicle head rest by means of a velcro, belt or by screws.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

The limitation of existing head and neck rest systems are as follows.When a vehicle turns, none of existing head rest systems can fullyprevent the head and body from tilting sideways. The ability to adjustto various heights of passengers is very limited or non-existent. Themore rigid systems for head and neck support lack portability andrequire external tools for installation or removal.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM Technical Solution

With as rigid fastening system, the present invention provides fullsupport of the side of the head and neck of a vehicle seat occupant andprevents tilting of the head and body particularly when the vehicleturns. With a double pivoting system, the present invention is capableof lowering or raising the support portion to adjust to a wide varietyof heights or sizes of occupants. Despite the rigidity, the presentinvention is easily removed or installed onto an existing vehiclescat/head rest unit without the use of external tools. Thus it is highlyportable.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION Advantageous Effects BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF DRAWINGS Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates how the device is mounted into a vehicle seat andhead rest.

FIG. 2 details the assembly of the components.

FIG. 3 details an alternate assembly and components.

FIG. 4 shows the cylindrical bar.

FIG. 5 shows the single piece housing body.

The assembly comprises of the housing body (1) retaining the ‘V’ or ‘L,’shaped clamp (2), the threaded insert (3), the threaded rod (4),retaining nut (5), a threaded knob with a hole through (6), a threadedknob with a hole blind (7). The assembly also comprises of a head/neckrest bar subassembly consisting of a cylindrical foam (9) inserted overa cylindrical bar (10), connected to a base arm (11) with a pivot pin(12). Fastening the device into the two pillars of a vehicle head restis as follows: By turning the outer knob (7) which is attached/glued tothe threaded rod (4), the threaded rod is rotated resulting in a linearmotion of the threaded ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped clamp (2). The linear motion isachieved by rotation of the threaded rod while the rectangular guideslot feature (15), prevents the clamp (2) from rotating. The retainingnut (5) glued onto the threaded rod (4) is enclosed inside a cavityfeature (16) preventing linear movement of threaded rod. The head/neckrest bar sub-assembly or unit functions as follows: By inserting thebase arm (11) through its slot feature (17) onto the threaded rod (4),and rotating the threaded knob (6), the head/neck rest bar sub-assemblyis fastened to the main body (1). The recess feature (18), combined withthe holding pressure from the threaded knob (6), prevents slippage anddisassembly of the head/neck rest bar unit from the main body (1). Byadjusting or reducing the holding pressure of the threaded knob (6), thebase arm (11) is allowed to rotate about the threaded rod (4). Toachieve a second rotation feature, the head/neck rest bar unit uses apivot pin (12) to connect the base arm (11) to the cylindrical bar (10).The pivot pin which is made of plastic is retained using cantilever snapfeatures (19). With rotations about the pivot pin and about the threadedrod, adjustment is made possible to varying heights of seat occupants.To provide comfort a cylindrical foam (9) is installed and glued overthe cylindrical bar (10). A cylindrical shaped cloth (13) with one endopen is installed over the cylindrical foam. The cloth is fastened bythe elastic tension of a garter (14) around its opening. To adjust tovarious sizes and shapes of the pillars (25) of an existing automobileseat head rest, the clamp (2) is formed a ‘V’ shape (26).

An alternate assembly that achieves the same function is shown in FIG,3. The main housing: body is split into two halves (20) and (21). Theyare fastened together with screws (22) with one of the half havingthrough holes and the other half having threaded holes to retain thescrews. For stronger fastening, the other half (20) may have threadedinserts (23) or nuts to retain the screws. As an alternate, thehead/neck rest bar may consist of a single hollow cylindrical bar (24)with a slot feature (17) and a recessed circular feature (18) at oneend. The slot feature (17) allows installation of the head/neck rest bar(24) onto the threaded rod (4). The recess feature (18) prevents thehead/neck rest bar from slipping a the threaded knob (6) presses againstit.

FIG. 4 details features of a cylindrical head and neck rest bar (10)having ribs (29) as supports with one side of the circumference enclosed(27) and the other side open (28). For pivoting action circular hole(31) passes through two flanges (30) supporter by ribs (32). Between theflanges (30) is a slot cavity (32) that mates with base arm (11).

FIG. 5 details features of a single housing body having two rectangularpockets (15), boles (34) from both ends extending towards the center ofthe body, having two pockets (16) to hold the nuts (5). To retain thecover (26) are snap hook features. All around the body are core outfeatures (35) to prevent deformity and warpage of the body.

1. A portable head and neck rest device comprising: a main body assemblyfor the purpose of attaching to existing pillars of a vehicle seat'shead rest. a head and neck rest side bar assembly attached to the end ofthe main body assembly for the purpose of supporting the neck and headof a vehicle occupant.
 2. The portable head and neck rest device ofclaim 1, wherein the main body assembly comprises a main housing body,two ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped threaded clamps, two threaded rods, two retainingnuts, two threaded knobs with a hole through, and two threaded knobswith a blind hole.
 3. The portable head and neck rest device of claim 2,wherein the main housing body has a rectangular guide pocket for thepurpose of guiding the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped clamp.
 4. The portable head andneck rest device of claim 2, wherein the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped threadedclamp is a threaded insert buried by means of press fitting orovermolding.
 5. The portable head and neck rest device of claim 2 thatprovides a means or system of locking onto pillars of a vehicle headrest whereby a linear motion of the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped clamp is actuatedby the rotational motion of the threaded rod while the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shapedclamp is guided by the two sides of the rectangular guide pocket of themain housing body until the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped clamp rests on the pillarof the vehicle head rest.
 6. The portable head and neck rest device ofclaim 2, having a ‘V’ shaped damp such that the ‘V’ shape allows secureclamping regardless of size and shape of the pillar of a vehicle headrest.
 7. The portable head and neck rest device of claim 2, comprisingthe knob with a blind bole fastened to the end of the threaded rod toaid in the transfer of external rotational force.
 8. The portable beadand neck rest device of claim 1, comprising the knob with a holethrough, installed on the threaded rod of the main body assembly for thepurpose of locking the head and neck rest side bar by turning the knobwith a hole through.
 9. The portable head and neck rest device of claim2, wherein the main, housing body has a rectangular shape with ribs allaround to provide rigidity and prevent deformity and warpage of thebody.
 10. The portable head and neck rest device of claim 2, where themain housing body comprises of two halves enclosing the securing thethreaded rods, nuts and the ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped threaded clamps. The twohalves are secured together by means of screws through one of the halvesfastened into the threaded inserts or nuts buried in the other half. 11.The portable head and neck rest device of claim 1, wherein the bead andneck rest side bar assembly comprises a cylindrical bar, a base arm, apivoting pin, a cylindrical foam over the cylindrical bar and acylindrical shaped cloth over the cylindrical foam.
 12. The portablehead and neck rest device of claims 1 and 11 that utilizes a dual pivotlinkage system consisting of the threaded rod, the base arm, thepivoting pin and the cylindrical bar. The pivoting occurs about thethreaded rod and the pivoting pin. Such dual pivot linkage allowsgreater flexibility to adjust to varying heights of the vehicleoccupants.
 13. The portable head and neck rest device of claims 1 and11, where in the base UM is a slot that allows ease of installation ontothe threaded rod and ease of removal of the head and neck rest side bar.The base arm also has a recessed circular feature that prevents slippagewhen the threaded knob with a hole through is pressed against it. 14.The portable bead and neck rest device of claims 1 and 11, with acylindrical bar having ribs as supports with one side of thecircumference enclosed and the other side open such that higher rigidityis achieved and manufacturing requires less molding stroke height. 15.The portable head and neck rest device of claims 1 and 11, that utilizesa single pivot linkage system where the only pivot occurs about thethreaded rod by the cylindrical bar. The cylindrical bar is hollow witha slot and recessed circular feature at one end.
 16. The portable headand neck rest device of claims 1 and 11, where the cylindrical foam iseither glued or overmolded over the cylindrical bar.
 17. The portablehead and neck rest device of claims 1 and 11, where the cylindricalshaped cloth over the cylindrical foam is closed at one end and openedat the other end. The open end has an elastic garter around the openingto keep it secured over the cylindrical foam.